


Lying in Bed

by flightinflame



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, BAMF Charles, Canon Disabled Character, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, M/M, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21908083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Erik was sent to kill Charles. Three months on, he has regrets.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 12
Kudos: 65
Collections: Secret Mutant Madness 2019





	Lying in Bed

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:**
> 
> Mr and Mrs Smith AU with Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr

Shaw's smile twisted into a sneer in Erik's memory, those eyes blazing.   
"You understand what I am asking you to do?" The words dripped venom. As though Erik wasn't capable, as though he wasn't good at what he did.

"Of course." Erik had kept his voice level, looked over at the man and kept a lid on the anger that was bubbling inside of him. He knew he owed Shaw everything - the man had saved him and his mother, even when... even when his mother was human. And he'd found somewhere that she would be safe, _sheltered_ as long as Erik used his gifts to help mutantkind. 

Erik did believe that mutants needed to fight to defend themselves from the worst excesses of humanity. There might have been some things he disagreed with, some of Shaw's ideas which caught at the back of his throat, made him retch, but generally he and Shaw were on the same page.

Even here. At least, that was what Erik had believed.

Charles Xavier was a fool, a naive child who hurt the mutant cause with his innocence. He spoke of integration and of finding their way. An empath, with no real talent, and he was risking mutants safety by encouraging them to be known. So when Shaw decided that Charles needed to die, he agreed. He didn't like the idea of killing the other man - Charles seemed to believe in what he said, and did want what was best for their kind. But when it came down to it, Erik was ready to do whatever it took to protect mutants - even things which were unpleasant. The idea Shaw had, of him ingratiating himself into the man's life seemed nothing short of cruel, but it was needed to understand the network Charles had. To know who he had spoken to. So Erik had nodded, and shaken Shaw's hand, and gone to do what he had to do.

That was three months ago.

Now he was beside Charles in bed, feeling the solid weight of Charles's wheelchair beside them. Guilt lay heavy on his heart, as he tried to work out where he went from here, which choices he could make, how he could help. He wanted to keep Charles safe.

But keeping Charles safe was a challenge. If Charles knew what he'd done, the mistakes he'd made, Erik was sure Charles would step away. But he had to do something. He couldn't leave Charles vulnerable.

So he made up his mind. Even if it cost him Charles, he had to protect his lover. He would tell Charles the truth, let him know that, and then Charles could work out how he could handle it. He'd ask Erik to leave, of course. He had to after this betrayal. The thought left him feeling sick, but it was absolutely the right thing to do. Charles made Erik want to do the right thing, no matter what the cost of such an action. He allowed himself a few more moments of looking at Charles, of memorising every inch of him. Charles would never want to see him, and anyway the empath would have to move into witness protection, go somewhere safe. Erik would never again get to lie beside him and know he was safe. 

Shaw would probably kill Erik if he ever found out. He might do it even if he didn't know the detail of how Charles had escaped. But Erik had to do the right thing, at least now, at least this once. In his heart, he knew his mother would understand, even if it was an awful thing to consider the danger that he was putting her in with his selfish love.

He reached out, and squeezed Charles's hand. Charles smiled, wiggling up against the headboard, lifting his legs so that they weren't twisted.

"What is it?"

"Sebastian Shaw wants you dead."

***

Charles had known, the day the door opened in his school and a new mutant had stepped through, that this was someone who needed help. A quick brush beneath the surface had provided him with what he needed to know. 

This man, Erik Lehnsherr, was working for Sebastian Shaw, the mutant extremist. He had come here with the simple and single minded goal of killing Charles. And he was already having regrets. Charles could have wiped his mind and sent him away, as he had done with previous assassins, but there was a loyalty and a fury there that enticed him. So Charles let him stay, learned from him, and when after months of doubt Erik squeezed his hands, brimming with nervous terror, Charles propped himself up against the headboard.  
"What is it?" Charles asked.

"I ... Sebastian Shaw wants you dead." Erik admitted. "He sent me here to kill you, but I wanted to change your mind and maybe I haven't, but I can see your points now, and he's demanding an answer. I need to get you somewhere safe Charles, you don't know the danger you are in-"

 _I know,_ Charles told him, relieved at finally being able to use his telepathy once more. _I've known. I just wanted to wait until you were ready._ He smiled, and Erik stared at him in awe. 

Charles cleared his throat. "I'm a telepath, Erik. I can defend myself. I have defended myself before, and if it comes down to it, I can do it again. But you... you can help me. Help all of our kind. Men like Shaw, they put us in danger with their hatred and their fury, but you can change that. You can bring him down."

"He-"

"Has your mother. I know. And if I can get close enough, I'll learn where she is, save her. I promise you." Charles looked into his eyes. "You can stop him, Erik. We can stop him. We can help our kind."

He could tell Erik wasn't sure, and tried his best not to project emotion, not to force Erik to act. This had to be his choice.

Erik looked him in the eye, and nodded.  
"I want to do that Charles. I want to do it with you."

Charles squeezed his hand.  
"Together."


End file.
